Susanna's Loft - A small history of postcards

At the end of the 19th century postcard companies began producing massive amounts of postcards for all occasions. Some of the most prominent companies were Valentines & Sons, Lubrie & Elkins, American Post Card CO, and Tuck . There was an enormous demand and by the early 1900s, millions of postcards were being produced every year. The designs ranged from simple 1 or 2 color images to stunningly beautiful works of art, using the most vivid colors. Often, embossing was used to enhance the enchanting images. Holiday cards were apparently the most popular and collected. Most of the finer printing of the day was done in England and Germany.

The major postcard companies would seek out and utilize some of the best artists of the time. Some of the most famous postcard artists were Ellen H. Clapsaddle, Bernard Wall, H. B. Griggs and Schumacher. They had an amazing knack for producing startling beauty for the small canvases. There was often fierce competition between the different publishers and "borrowing" of ideas was fairly common.

By 1915 fewer postcards were being produced and the golden age of postcards gradually came to an end. Although varieties of postcards are produced and popular today, they cannot be compared to the magnificent imagery of the early 1900s.